WesWorld

Cool. I'm glad one of us remembered to bring his camera.

Well it took a while before those pictures were develloped... No 1-hour services back then in 1929.

6 March

Teniente Ignacio Urbina banked his S.55 flying boat into a turn over the battlefield. The First Marine Brigade had been pinned down by Revolutionary artillery defending the western suburbs of Angeles, and they had called in an air strike to help clear things out.

He spotted the puffs of smoke from the Reds' artillery position and turned in for the attack. Flashing over the enemy guns he triggered the bomb release, and his observer reported seeing the four 250-lb bombs detonating in the centre of the enemy's position.

A string of tracers from a trailer-mounted 25mm gun arced up torwards the aircraft, tearing into the starboard wing. Teniente Urbina felt the controls lurch as the shells tore into the seaplane's structure. Fighting for control, he managed to keep his wounded bird upright and begain heading for the coast, praying that the plane would hold together long enough to make it.

After a seeming eternity, the coast and the fleet came into view just as the engines began to sputter, the Red AA fire having holed a fuel tank. He glided the crippled aircraft to a splashdown and managed to coast alongside of the "requisitioned" freighter Chupaqueso, which hauled the battered bird on board. After turning in a report to the Aviation Operations Officer, he headed for the mess, to partake of the "medicinal rations" alotted to crews of damaged aircraft...

8 March

Heavy fighting continues on the outskirts of Angeles as Loyalist and SATSUMA forces chip away at the Revolutionaries' defense of the town.

Reports are that the Indians' Marmorat Division captured an entire Red artillery corps yesterday, while First Marine Brigade is said to have began reconnanisance patrols into the town itself, calling in artillery strikes wherever the enemy attempts to regroup...

F.I.N.E.R.-Davao

9 March
An attempt by the Revolutionaries to reinforce their tenuous hold in Luzon failed yesterday as Japanese carrier-based aircraft torpedoed and sunk the ferry Gallopavo, loaded with troops and equipment, as it attempted to run between Calapan in Mindoro and Batangas, south of Manila.

This afternoon Second Battle Squadron conducted another bombardment of the fortifications on Corregidor. Reports are that the return fire was "sporadic and disoriented" and did not include any rounds from the island's 10" main battery.

Rumours are also spreading that an "unidentified highly-placed figure in the Revolutionary government" was assassinated in Manila within the past week...

(2BS - Dagupan and Tacloban)

10 March
Heavy fighting continues as SATSUMA forces advance into urban Angeles. There are reports that Japanese forces to the northeast of the city intercepted and captured several brigades of engineers yesterday as they attempted to escape from our encirclement of the city, while artillery supporting First Marine Brigade destroyed an attempted armoured counterattack along the main road out of town*.

Meanwhile the force advancing on Manila from the south captured the rail terminal at Santa Cruz on Laguna de Bay this afternoon, and have laid siege to the town of San Pablo, a mere 80 kilometers south of the capital...

In other news, the battlecruiser Presidente Malvar has been taken out of service. With the lease of the vessel from Britian expiring later this year, it has been decided that her crew under the swashbuckling Capitan Cain will be transferred en masse to commission the Marina de Filipinas' first aircraft carrier, Sulu, which is currently building in India and is scheduled to be completed late next month.

(* - It was two Whippets - essentially the entirety of the remaining Filipino tank force - attempting to flee through a chokepoint that the artillery had sighted in.)

F.I.N.E.R.-Davao

11 March
We have a confirmed report that the Revolutionary troops defending Angeles have surrendered! Reportedly last night the surviving senior officer approached our troops under a white flag and requested terms.

These terms were not publicly released, however it is believed that the majority of the Revolutionary officers have been placed under arrest and will be court-martialed for their participation in the uprising...

14 March
Even as the clean-up of Angeles continues and battered units are rested, SATSUMA forces are beginning the next stage in their advance.

Reportedly units of the First Marine Brigade and the Indians' Fourth Deccan Highlanders have begun to march down the F.U.R.R.* line from Angeles torwards San Fernando, while the Second Marine Brigade is moving north from San Pablo...

17 March
The Revolutionary fleet made a run for it yesterday, their units capable of sailing fleeing Manila Harbour, presumably for Cebu City, as SATSUMA troops resume their advance torwards the city.

Consisting mostly of light forces, the move appears to have come as a surprise to naval officials, who did not believe there was sucifficent manpower remaining to sail the vessels.

The movement was discovered by scout aircraft from the Indian aircraft-carrying cruiser Urumi, which then conducted a strike on the flotilla, reportedly sinking the gunboat Capital but infliciting little other damage.

Aerial reconnaissance indicates that the oiler Bambú, damaged on the first day of the "revolution" and still under repair, remains in drydock in Manila.

18 March
Reportedly the Indians' Fourth Deccan Highlanders occupied the town of San Fernando on the Dagupan-Manila rail line yesterday, meeting little resistance. It appears that the Revolutionaries are saving their forces for a "last stand" defending Quezon City and Manila.

Units of First Marine Brigade are said to have bypassed the town and are now closing in on Malalos, with the remainder of the brigade and other SATSUMA forces now beginning to advance after rest & recovery from the Battle of Angeles...

22 March
New honours for Second Battle Squadron, as its coast-defense battleships captured the city of Batangas yesterday.

The vessels were tasked with a bombardment of the port and rail terminal, however after only three salvoes their spotter aircraft reported white flags being hoisted from the city's quartel. Investigation proved that the town had been abandoned by Revolutionary forces, and the ships' Marine detachments were landed to take control of the town...



* - Filipino Union Rail Road

31 March
We have received a report that Alcalde Lozano of Manila has declared the capital an "Open City", and that Loyalist-symphasising civilians have placed the Revolutionary troops in the quartel under siege...



and so Q1 ends...